INDIANAPOLIS — October is OCD Awareness Month, and for the first time ever in Indiana, a walk this Saturday will be dedicated to raising understanding and support for people living with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Krista Reed's OCD symptoms began when she was six years old, but she wasn't properly diagnosed until she was 31.
"My self-confidence at a young age was crushed… I lost friends because I couldn't keep up with social demands," Reed said.
"I was able to, as so many individuals with OCD do, we mask it. We realized from such an early age, our brain just thinks differently. There's just something very off about how I'm thinking, an 8-year-old should not be so concerned about following the 10 Commandments to the point to where if I don't, I'm gonna go to hell," Reed said.
Reed shared how OCD impacted her as a mother as well.
"I just remember wake-less amount of nights being absolutely terrified that my child was going to die of SIDS and it was going to be entirely my fault," Reed said.
This Saturday, mental health advocates and families will walk together not just for exercise, but for awareness.
Amber Young, a licensed mental health counselor and OCD and anxiety specialist, says it often takes 14 to 17 years for someone to be properly diagnosed — a delay that can take a serious toll.
"OCD is often misunderstood, mischaracterized. Despite about one in 40 people having OCD, a lot of times it gets chalked up to personality characteristics or quirks," Young said.
"Walks like this really just help to bring awareness to some of those gaps in care. There is actually effective treatment out there.. It’s just getting people connected to the right treatment and the right providers," Young said.
Angela Henry, a licensed clinical social worker, emphasizes the importance of proper understanding.
"It's not just a need for being clean, it's not a matter of, 'Oh, I just like being organized.' It really diminishes the OCD sufferers' experience. We really want to provide support and have people be diagnosed earlier," Henry said.
The OCD Walk will fund research through the International OCD Foundation. Advocates say treatment exists — like exposure and response prevention therapy — but more people need access, and more providers need training.
"OCD just took away so many amazing opportunities, but I'll say more than anything, the number one thing OCD took away from me is relationships," Reed said.
If you think you have OCD symptoms, first talk to your healthcare provider or a primary care doctor to rule out other health conditions and get a referral for a mental health provider who understands, diagnoses and treats OCD.
You can still sign up for the walk on Saturday in Zionsville at Heritage Trail Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
